August 2001Vol. 42, No. 8

FTD Newsletter© 2001 FTD, Inc.

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In the last few FTD newsletters, we’ve sharedstories and photos from several Member

Meetings across the U.S. and Canada. To date,we’ve been to 20 different cities talking with morethan 1,500 members – a real eye-opener for meand many of those that have attended theseMember Meetings. Through this forum, we’rereaching our members on a new level to sharewith them the vision for FTD.

Our message is simple: FTD Florists are the Best.

Many members have asked, “What does FTD want from me?” FTD’sstrength is and always will be in the pride of its members. By standingup for the highest quality standards in your market, filling all orders asif they were your own, using technology to create efficiencies in allaspects of your business operations and being prepared at all keyholidays to service the demands of your customers, we will continueto strengthen the FTD Brand as a unified team. The ultimate goals areto achieve higher profitability, with all FTD members earning highaverage returns on the sales in the markets they serve, and to drivepassion through all channels of membership.

FTD will continue to support its members with great advertising,reduced codified products, great pricing on imprint materials(calendars, stuffers, magnets, etc.), and the best technology productsin the industry. We are listening. I hope our message is beginning toreach all members.

We will continue to use the Member Meeting format throughout theyear, joined with newsletters, direct contact from Field ServiceRepresentatives, the FTD Members-Only Bulletin Boards and our newand improved customer service department to improvecommunication.

Hope to see you soon at a Member Meeting in your market.

Best Regards,

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MESSAGE FROM BOB~CHAIRMAN, IOS BRANDS~

FTDI.COM announces a new program to save youmoney on products you purchase through FTD®

MarketplaceTM!

Visit FTDI.COM each week and check out the“Weekly Internet Special” available only by

shopping online through FTD Marketplace OnlineShopping. Purchase selected products at discounts of5% – 25% OFF their regular everyday price – somespecials also include FREE SHIPPING!

Shopping online through FTDI.COM couldn’t be easier.Visit FTDI.COM, click on the Marketplace Logo or theShopping Link, and start saving today!

To obtain an ID and Password, send an email topasswords@ftdi.com. Your ID and Password not onlyallows you to shop online, but it also gives you accessto all areas of the web site like the Members-OnlyBulletin Board. Join your fellow FTD Members atFTDI.COM! ■

CONTEST:WIN FREE MARKETPLACE PRODUCT

Visit FTDI.com to answer the following FTD trivia question andyou’ll automatically be entered to win one carton for eachcodified Holiday product for the year, a total US estimated retailvalue of $1,186, and a total CDN estimated retail value of$1,779.

QUESTION: When is the Fall codification deadline? ANSWER: A. November 11, 2001

B. September 11, 2001C. January 1, 2002D. July 11, 2001

Contest deadline is midnight of August 30, 2001. One winner will be chosen from all correct entries.

Please note the minimum prices for all orders goingto Israel have increased across all product cate-

gories. Contact International Retrans at 800-788-9000 for specific details or for help in placing anorder. ■

� WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!FTD welcomes comments and suggestions from FTD Florists for the Newsletter.Contact the FTD Public Relations Department by writing to FTD, Attn.: PR Dept.,3113 Woodcreek Drive, Downers Grove, IL 60515, or send an email to newslet-ter@ftdi.com. Please include your FTD Member number. ■

To date, more than1,500 members

have attended MemberMeetings across thecountry in the past twomonths, recently includ-ing members in Boston,Cleveland, Baltimoreand Philadelphia.Member Meetings arean opportunity for BobNorton to share finan-cial, Marketplace, Technology and membership information, along with an opportunityto open the floor to the members – using these meetings as another communicationforum.

“FTD finally is listening to itsmembers, and I was happy tohear Bob say that he wants tovisit us at least once a year,” saidJohn Hutchinson, Hutchinson’sFlowers in Sykesville, MD. Johnattended the meeting inBaltimore, MD, on July 12,along with more than 70 otherFTD Members.

In addition to the scheduledmeetings, Bob Norton also hasvisited many shops across thecountry.

“It made my day to have FTD personally visit my shop. I’ve been in business formore than 50 years and I feel like Bob Norton's visit was recognition of my successand the longevity of my business”, said Mary Benken of Wyoming Florist inCincinnati, OH.

Stay tuned for Member Meetings in a town near you! ■

FTD® CASH-FLOTM SHARES SOMEGREAT GUIDELINES FOR

REDUCING CHARGEBACKS

• Prohibited Transactions: You may notcharge a cardholder for damages, lossor theft. You may not charge a card-holder for returned checks, impose asurcharge or set a minimum or maxi-mum dollar amount requirement forcredit card transactions.

• Additional Identification: You may notrequest additional information from thecardholder to process a credit cardtransaction (e.g., phone number, driv-ers license number). This rule applies toall swiped sales, unless the back of thecard is unsigned.

• Cash Advances: You may not processcash advances for cardholders or foryourself.

• Factoring: Never process items foranother business. This is called “factor-ing.” Factoring is strictly prohibitedand will result in immediate terminationof your ability to accept credit cards.

For more information on processing yourcredit cards through FTD, contact FTD®

Cash-Flo™ at 800-788-9000 (ext. 4262).■

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BOB NORTON?

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FTD& DDB Chicago, FTD’s advertising agency,were honored with a prestigious EFFIE®

award on June 6, 2001. The award was given for thecreation and execution of the very popular “Be A Hero”ad campaign. FTD’s campaign was chosen for a SilverEFFIE in the Specialized Retail/Etail category.

Introduced by the New York American MarketingAssociation in 1968, the EFFIE is recognized byagencies and advertisers as the preeminent award inthe advertising industry. It is the only national award

that honors creative achievement in meeting andexceeding advertising objectives. In short, it focuseson effective advertising that works in the marketplace.

This celebrated EFFIE award is clear evidence of FTD’swinning partnership with DDB, which also extends toevery FTD Member. Through this award, our “Be AHero” campaign has been validated as a trulyeffective, brand-building campaign that has touchedthe lives of consumers everywhere. ■

FTD & DDB CHICAGO WIN EFFIE FOR “BE A HERO” CAMPAIGN

Bob Norton visiting with Mary Benken, Wyoming Florist inCincinnati, OH, on July 17.

Toronto

Beginning with the November 2001 FTD®

Directory, all members will be allowed to listtheir delivery charge as a separate price – min-imum prices will be for product only. This changeincludes all listings: main, also served by, and non-member town. Members will be allowed toinclude a delivery charge for every town wherethey have a listing. This will allow members toexpand their delivery areas by allowing them tocollect an appropriate delivery charge for eachtown. It will also help the sending florist know howmuch of the order is for product and how much isfor delivery, which will help them communicate bet-ter with their customers.

In order to make this change happen, DirectoryServices needs to receive your codificationchanges as soon as possible. Please take aminute to review your current minimum prices andadjust them as needed to reflect your minimum costfor product only. Next, establish appropriatedelivery charges for all the towns you are currentlylisted in, as well as towns you would like to add toyour coverage area. Forward all this informationto Directory Services at 90-0258AA or fax yourchanges to 630-719-4804. The codificationdeadline for the November 2001 Directory isSeptember 11, 2001. ■

GETTING TO KNOW YOU…Jill Weishaupt

Jill Weishaupt is the Field ServiceRepresentative of districts 14F and part of14G, which include the Northern and WestCoast of Florida. She currently resides in St.Petersburg, FL with her husband, Conrad.

How long have you been with FTD? I’ve been with FTD for more than 10 years.However, I’ve been in the industry since 1977,when I began working in a flower shop inMichigan.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t visiting florists in Florida? My husband and I are avid Disney enthusiasts. We have annualpasses to Walt Disney World – and we are sure to be there at leastonce a month, if only for a few hours. This year, we attended openingday festivities for both EPCOT and Disney MGM Studio.

I also enjoy collecting Disney memorabilia, swimming, reading andtraveling – but most of all, I love to entertain friends and family.

What are some highlights of your 10 years with FTD? In 1985, I became an FTD Master Florist Manager. After teachingadults for more than six years at the St. Petersburg Vocational &Technical Institute, I was thrilled to join the FTD family. Since then, I’vehad the honor of decorating the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee forboth Gov. Martinez and Gov. Bush, and I’ve helped with the memorialservice for the Oklahoma bombing disaster. I loved coordinating theSouthern Regional America’s Cup in 1996, and I’ve enjoyed all themany conventions that I’ve attended. Along the way, I have met someof the most talented, wonderful people. I am deeply honored to workwith and for FTD Florists.

We’d like to extend a special Happy Anniversary to Jill and Conrad– the couple is celebrating their 25th year of marriage. This is aparticularly special year, as Jill is recovering from a difficult surgerythat took place in April. Jill and Conrad will celebrate theiranniversary with a vacation to Australia. Happy Anniversary! ■

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IMPORTANT NEWDIRECTORY

CODIFICATIONINFORMATON

IMPORTANT NEWDIRECTORY

CODIFICATIONINFORMATON

Just around the corner with an exciting new look and logois FTD Good Neighbor Day. FTD is looking forward to

the most successful Good Neighbor Day yet. Following isa testimonial from Genie Smith, Plaza Flowers, inDoniphan, MO with some tips to help you plan a successfulGood Neighbor Day in your shop.

“ FTD Good Neighbor Day is one of the best events that I’ve hosted at my shop.”

— Genie Smith, Plaza Flowers

“In order to receive local sponsorship in my area, I tied FTDGood Neighbor Day to a local charity. Joined with a localradio station and local bank, we asked people to bring ina non-perishable food item to donate to the communityfood bank in exchange for a dozen free roses. This ideawas an overwhelming success. Our neighbors were sogiving, that most even brought several cans or bags orgroceries to donate.

Due to the charity tie-in, the local bank covered most of thefloral expense and the radio station announced thepromotion on the air – reducing the cost for localadvertisement. A local newspaper found the story worthyenough to include a photo of representatives from the bank,the radio station and my shop, along with a story. Thelocal community was so pleased with the event and I wasexcited because my shop received great, positiveexposure.”

Call FTD® Marketplace™ today at 800-767-4000 to orderyour FREE 2001 FTD Good Neighbor Day Promotional Kit.The kit includes helpful marketing tools and tips to help youcarry out a successful Good Neighbor Day. Any questionsregarding this opportunity can be directed toprdept@ftdi.com. ■

~ FTD Good Neighbor Day is Wednesday Sept. 5, 2001 ~

SHOW YOUR NEIGHBORSYOU CARE …

ON SEPTEMBER 5TH

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FTDhas taken on the responsibility of administeringongoing membership requirements.

The Membership Department responsibilities include processingnew member, change-of-ownership and branch-shop applica-tions.

These responsibilities also include addressing the FTD coverageissue. FTD’s field staff will aggressively support a targetedmembership drive aimed at markets that are underserved. Inaddition, the membership department will monitor and enforcetrademark violations, test orders and other disciplinary actions.

The new initiative will be carefully monitored to guaranteedesired quality for new FTD Members, ensuring we pursue andpartner with the best florists to represent FTD and carry the logoin their shop. ■

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

GRANDPARENTS’ DAY IS SUNDAY,SEPTEMBER 9, 2001

Grandparents’ Day is justaround the corner, and

your customers are looking for aspecial way to tell grandmaand grandpa they’re thinking ofthem. The FTD® Thinking ofYou™ Bouquet is in a handpaint-ed, stoneware basket, filledwith bright fresh flowers in yel-low and white – perfect tobrighten someone’s day.

Call FTD® Marketplace™ todayat 800-767-4000 to order thischeerful bouquet, or shoponline through www.ftdi.com.

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Item #1976AEstimated U.S. retail price: $35.99Estimated CDN retail price: $53.99U.S. price: $2.40 ea. / $57.46 ctn. of 24CDN price: $3.60 ea. / $86.19 ctn. of 24

How to reach the FTD Membership Department:

Telephone: 800-788-9000Fax: 630-724-6609

E-mail: membership@ftdi.comMercury: #90-0217AA

MERCURY ADVANTAGE™ 8.0 UNVEILED AT BOSTO

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July witnessed our most successful Mercury Advantage™ Users’Meeting to date. Present were 110 members representing

over 70 shops. The lucky attendees were the first to see theunveiling of our much anticipated 8.0 release, as well as the firstto receive it. The feedback has been incredible! But don’t takeour word for it, read what some of your fellow FTD Florists had tosay:

Chuck Clas, Albany, NY - “…as always I learned a lot, and hada great time with everyone from FTD and with my fellow florists.There may be some comparable systems out there on the marketfor florists to choose from, but Emily and her staff really make thedifference. The dedication to make Mercury Advantage the best

system out there is real and it shows. Keep up the good work!”Tom Cunningham, Flemington, NJ adds, “The new release looksgreat! I think this will be very beneficial to my business and to mybottom line. Thanks for a great conference, and I look forwardto being a partner with Mercury® Technology and FTD.”

Emily Moth Chapman, FTD – “I am thrilled with the success of thismeeting. With great feedback from our members, we continueto strengthen the content and structure of these meetings, andnowhere was this more evident than in Boston. I am so fortunateto work with such wonderful customers and supportive colleagues– we truly make a dynamic and unstoppable team in this industry.Hats off to Liz Eckhardt on driving the development of version 8.0

Mercury Advantage users enjoy a break from the training during a scenic “duck” tour of Boston. Users are captivated by discovering more about their Advantage systems.

At the closing session,Installation & TrainingManager Sheila McCalloffer great tips for a success-ful installation of version 8.0.

In the one-on-one lab, usersenjoy personalized feed-

back from the experts.

“8.0 ROADSHOW”

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In our continued effort to provide you with the best intraining and support, and in conjunction with the much-

anticipated summer release of Mercury AdvantageVersion 8.0, Mercury Technology is pleased toannounce our upcoming “8.0 Roadshow”. These meet-ings are designed as one-day general sessions to famil-iarize your staff with the new features and updatedscreen layouts of 8.0. After attending the course you willreceive your “priority distribution” copy of the 8.0release.

The following dates and cities have been tentatively out-lined, and will be confirmed shortly.

Aug 19 – Cincinnati, OHAug 20 - Minneapolis, MNAug 24 – Charlotte, NCAug 27 - Tampa, FloridaSept 17 – Stratford, ON

Additional cities to be announced soon.

To pre-register for any of these events, please contactEmily Moth Chapman by phone at 800-669-1000 x6141, by fax at 630-719-7807, by email at echap-man@ftdi.com or GEN message to 90-1892AA. Welook forward to seeing you soon!

BEWARE OF FRAUD!

In an effort to ensure valid orders, below are severalred flag criteria to help members avoid fraudulentorders.

Things to keep an eye out for and when appropriate,to question…Orders that have an unsigned enclosure card Orders that are for a large dollar amountCallers who claim, “money is no object!”Orders that have several add-on items

Remember: The Mercury® Network is a great wayto ensure valid orders! ■

ON USERS’ CONFERENCE

– her staff has done a phenomenal job in delivering our mostfeature-rich release to date! Thanks everyone for your hard work,dedication and support.”

While these meetings are packed with training, they also allowplenty of time for networking with fellow florists and FTD staff –one of the most powerful aspects of these multi-day events.

The final three day event for this year will be held in NewOrleans, October 21-23. Registration information for this eventwill be coming soon. A complete sellout is anticipated, so pleasebe sure to register early! ■

FTD Sales & Training staff: Myra Markley, Cheryle Costello & RachelZipsie, show their enthusiasm...

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THE FTD® HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS®

BOUQUETThe tradition of fresh flowers – an artful arrangementin a green glass bowl, delicately adorned withsnowflakes, evokes the joy of the season. This splen-did bowl sits on a clear class pedestal and featurestwo 12” white taper candles.

Item #0121U.S. price: $7.99 ea. / $191.76 ctn. of 24CDN price: $11.99 ea. / $287.60 ctn. of 24

THE FTD® CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS™

BOUQUETOur sleigh is a festive setting for beautiful flowers incolors of the season. The handcrafted wooden bur-gundy sleigh is silk-screened in gold “Let It Snow” let-tering and has metal runners. This Christmas classicis sure to be a hit with all your customers.

Item #0122U.S. price: $4.99 ea. / $119.76 ctn. of 24CDN price: $7.49 ea. / $179.60 ctn. of 24

CODIFICATION DEADLINE ~ SEPTEMBER 11, 2001THE FTD® AUTUMN SPLENDOR™ BOUQUETYour customers will love bringing either of these ele-gant bouquets to the Thanksgiving table or buffet. Aspectacular gathering of flowers in warm autumnaltones is gracefully presented in a rustic woodenplanter. The planter has twisted metal handles, a nat-ural leaf design, reinforced metal corners and featurestwo 12” coordinating taper candles.

Item #0119U.S. price: $5.99 ea. / $143.76 ctn. of 24CDN price: $8.99 ea. / $215.60 ctn. of 24 T1PT1C

C1CC1P

Classic Recipe (T1C)Estimated U.S. retail price: $39.99Estimated CDN retail price: $59.99

Premium Recipe (T1P)Estimated U.S. retail price: $59.99Estimated CDN retail price: $89.99

Classic Recipe (C1C)Estimated U.S. retail price: $49.99Estimated CDN retail price: $74.99

Premium Recipe (C1P)Estimated U.S. retail price: $69.99Estimated CDN retail price: $104.99

Estimated U.S. retail price: $37.99Estimated CDN retail price: $56.99

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Call FTD® Marketplace™ at 800-767-4000 to get codified for Thanksgivingand Christmas, or shop online throughwww.ftdi.com.

The codification deadline for Thanksgiving and Christmas is almost here. We are excited to offer you a simple, profitable choice.

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This month, weare pleased to

announce thatFTD.COM has sentout an additionalconsumer productcatalog (Summer2001) to encour-age more everydaybusiness. Normally,FTD.COM sendsout five catalogs ayear (Fall, Holiday,Valentine’s Day,Easter and Mother’sDay), but we addedone more to the mixwith the Summer 2001 catalog. Traditionally a slower timeperiod due to a lack of any major holidays, FTD.COM ishoping this new catalog will generate more everydaybusiness for FTD Florists and FTD.COM during the summer.The new catalog can be seen on the business-to-business website, www.ftdi.com, under the FTD.COM link. Many of thefeatured products in the catalog are also the main ‘featured’products on the consumer site at www.ftd.com.

Also found at the business-to-business site, www.ftdi.com, is alisting of the top ten products FTD.COM sells by month.There are a few products that consistently make the bestsellers’ list each month. They include the FTD® My One andOnly™ Bouquet and the FTD® Your Day™ Bouquet. Please takea look at these two bouquets, as well as the other best sellersand think about adding these to your cooler.

We hope that you are having a prosperous summer and arereceiving some additional everyday business, resulting fromour new Summer 2001 catalog. As always, we are strivingto help you make your business more profitable. Continue tocontact FTD.COM with any questions or suggestions that canhelp us help you.

Please contact FTD.COM through e-mail at custserv@ftd.comor send a GEN message to #90-8400AA with anyadditional questions for FTD.COM. ■

FTD MEMBER SPONSORSGOLF BENEFIT

For 10 years FTD Member, Bruce McShan, owner of McShanFlorist in Dallas TX, shows his thoughtfulness to his community

through the sponsorship of Lee McShan Charity Golf Classic. Thisfun event contributes donations to several well-known charitableorganizations that provide help to children in the Dallas Area,including Children’s Miracle Network and the local CMN hospitaland Kiwanis Club of White Rock. The event is held in memory ofMcShan’s father, Lee A. McShan, Jr.

“We [McShan Florist] sponsor this golf outing every year becauseit raises money for a good cause,” said Bruce McShan. “It’s areal community effort by everyone, which makes me very proud.”

Other FTD Members that have hit the green along with McShan,include John Leland from Mockingbird Lane Florist and DavidCostello from Flower Cart, both located in Dallas, TX.

Join your fellow FTD Florists and see how you can get involved inmaking a difference in your local community.

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More than 85 golfers participated in the Lee McShan Charity Golf Classic,raising over $9,700 for various charities.

If you would like to find out more about receivingFTD.COM orders, simply call our Florist Hotline at800-554-0993 or send a GEN message to ourCustomer Service Department, using shop code90-8400AA. ■

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A s we continue our journey through the creative life of this year’s RoseParade float, “The Wonderland of Imagination” turns from a black and

white sketch to a radiant drawing full of bright colors. Creative artists haveworked their magic to create a beautiful scene that seems almost lifelike. Theclassic children’s story, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is dazzlinglyrecreated with flowers in this whimsical and entertaining scene.

Imagine if you will, what it would be like if we stepped into the picture…Positioned under large sculptured Canterbury Bells amidst a grove of colorfulthistles and mushrooms, Alice finds herself in yet another unusual predicament,as she has grown much too large to fit inside the thatched roof cottage.Oblivious to her dilemma, many of her famous friends enjoy tea and cakesat the afternoon tea party. Joining Alice is the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit,Dormouse, Cheshire Cat and the purple Caterpillar.

Keep an eye out for September’s FTD Newsletter for upcoming informationon how you can join FTD at the 2002 Rose Parade® and NationalChampionship Rose Bowl Game®. ■

Step 1 ~ FTD approves the black and white drawing of their 2002 Rose Parade® float.

� FREQUENTLY USED EMAIL ADDRESSESStatement issues – memberservices@ftdi.com FTD Newsletter feedback – newsletter@ftdi.comTrademark infringement issues or questions – trademark@ftdi.com All membership questions – membership@ftdi.com

Step 2 ∼ Creative artists turn a black and whitesketch of the float into a colorful work of art.

TOURNAMENTOF ROSES

Like many independent business owners, florists today face afundamental question when deciding whether or not to allocate

funds for shop improvements, such as investing in newer floraltechnology. That fundamental question is what will this investmentdo for my business?

At several trade shows this past year, Ed Oman, co-owner of JustOriginals in Florida and a team of florists, demonstrated two waysof doing business through a role-playing skit showing the starkcontrast between a shop buried in manual processes and anautomated shop that used a Mercury Wings™ system or MercuryAdvantage™.

THE VEGETATE WAYEvery florist takes orders frequently. A typical floral shop that usesolder technology can only sendand receive wire orders when arepeat customer calls to place anorder. Following is an example ofa typical process with older tech-nology. • All customer information is

taken down manually, either on a paper form or a scrap ofpaper.

• Generally, there are no records of past purchases for repeatcustomers. Time is wasted by capturing information alreadytaken previously. Customers today generally expect records ofthis informataion to be kept.

• If a customer wants to duplicate a past purchase, such as aspecific Mother’s Day arrangement, you have will likely adifficult time trying to find that piece of paper from a year ago.

• All recipient information is taken down manually, even if it’ssomeone you’ve delivered to before. Again, customers gener-ally expect you to have records of this information.

• Credit card information needs to be taken down manually. Ifit’s a repeat customer, this is a waste of time.

• Should the phone connection be lost (all too frequent with cellphones), there will likely be some digging to find the cus-tomer’s phone number.

THE AUTOMATE WAYWhat are some key differences when taking orders with today’sshop management tools? There are several key shortcuts that willnot only save you time and grief, but will also improve your

AUTOMATE OR VEGETATE?…THAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY QUESTION

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customer service.• When a repeat customer calls, you’ll have important information

in front of you with just a few clicks of the mouse, including:�Customer name, address, telephone number and credit

card information on file�Past purchases, including specific flower arrangements

purchased for specific occasions�The recipient information, including delivery address and

preferencesJust imagine the time savings, especially when multiplied hundredsand thousands of times during a year.

MORE BENEFITS OF AUTOMATION• Customer history will give you an average order amount,

allowing you to:� Price the arrangement at the appropriate “comfort level” for thatperson � “Upsell” with a greater successrate� Avoid inadvertent “downselling”� Remind the customer, while on the

phone with them, of future anniversaries and events in theirlives – remember, you’ll have a record of past purchases.

• Merge your customer and recipient information with MarketingTools:�Create targeted promotional and sale mailings�Create customer cards for house accounts�Start a preferred customer program, which includes

coupons and special incentives�Broadcast special sale announcements via e-mails instantly

to all your customers and recipients

THE BOTTOM LINE“Even when you demonstrate the many, many benefits to shopautomation, cost is always an obstacle,” says Ed Oman, who usesa Mercury Wings system with three Order Entry workstations in hismain shop and another system at a branch location. “When I satdown and calculated how many hours my Mercury Wings systemworks for me and what I pay, I estimate that it’s about $1.76 anhour. When I compare that with what any of us would pay for anew employee, it’s clearly a bargain.”

For more information on Mercury Wings and MercuryAdvantage, call 800-767-3222. ■

This is the first in a series of three Technology updates. See the September issue of the Newsletter for part two.

“I estimate that it’s about $1.76 an hourfor Mercury Wings. When I compare that

with what any of us would pay for anew employee, it’s clearly a bargain.”

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COMING SOON TO A BALLPARK NEAR YOU…